Thursday, January 20, 2011

Curtin Strong

I am a lucky girl. Not just because of stuff like chocolate. I am a lucky girl because I am a Curtin. Those who share my last name descend from a relatively small part of Ireland split between County Kerry County Cork and County Limmerick < with a few straglers from Clare>. There is even a Curtin website.

My great grandfather Denis Curtin came to America between 1895 and 1899. He met and married Margaret Cain. Together they had seven children Cornelius , Margaret, Patrick, William, Michael, Annie, and James. Denis was a street railway repairman. This was his second marriage. The first was to unknown Donegan. They had a child Joan. Both passed away in a "crash" . I have no idea what kind of "crash".

I probably know more about my family history than the average person new to genealogy. I know that most of it starts in Brooklyn and ends in Ireland-Germany-Russia-Austria-Holland. I know that despite the fact that I cannot find a single non-celtic name within my Irish history I am certain I am Scandanavian.